Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Solar WaterDisinfection (SODIS) process is a simple technology used to improve the microbiological quality of drinking water. SODIS uses solar radiation to destroy pathogenic microorganisms which cause water borne diseases.

SODIS is ideal to treat small quantities of water. Contaminated water is filled into transparent plastic bottles and exposed to full sunlight for six hours.

Sunlight is treating the contaminated water through two synergetic mechanisms:Radiationin the spectrum ofUV-A(wavelength 320-400nm) andincreased water temperature. If the water temperatures raises above 50°C, the disinfection process is three times faster.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Dog lovers and NGOs flock to dog feeding banned society, seeking urgent solution for the strays' well being

Hepzi Anthony Kandivali

Following the ban on feeding stray dogs at Alica Nagar building no. 10 in Lokhandwala Township, Kandivali (WSP, dated, Aug 30, 2008), dog lovers from various organizations flocked to the society to help out the dogs.

Activists from three organizations namely, In Defence of Animals, Ahimsa and Animal Welfare Society, visited the society to take dogs away for sterilization.

The activists feel that it was unfair to ban feeding of dogs and that it would add to the problem. "The dogs look undernourished. They usually survive on garbage, now since the society is so clean that the dogs are starving.

If this continues, the dogs will start getting violent," says Christina Lobo-Jha, a dog-lover who rushed to the spot. Another volunteer dog-lover Sourabh Edwankar says, "Dog feeding should be allowed and done in a manner that it does not hurt others. Dog lovers, who feed should take care that they feed the canines only at a particular place and time.

" He adds, "They must also take responsibility to see that the dogs are properly sterilized and vaccinated regularly."

The activists feel that the solution also lies in sterilization of all dogs since, sterilised dogs are less aggressive thus, reducing the scale of the problem.

" Sterilised dogs are mostly vaccinated against rabies as well," says Lobo-Jha. The activists also met up with the Alica Nagar committee members in order to find a solution.

However, the building society has decided to continue with the status quo. "We have no issues if people feed the dogs outside the compound gate," says Anil Patankar, secretary of the Alica Nagar Federation.wspmain@timesgroup.com

ADVANTAGES of Sterilization

* Excessive barking, hyperactivity, territorial guarding and aggression are drastically reduced* Decrease in objectionable sexually related behaviour* It virtually eliminates the chances of ovarian and uterine cancer, as well as the risk of testicular tumours and prostate problems* The odds of getting a dog killed in car accidents could be reduced, as they would be less likely to wander around, looking for mate